Sims was coming off a productive junior season, in which he had produced more than 1,400 offensive yards on just 160 touches. Several college coaches had passed through the campus during the Rebels' spring practices to get a glimpse of the prospects on campus and, even though Sims did plenty to impress, he came out of spring drills with only one scholarship offer - from the University of Houston.

Keeping the faith

Keeath Magree, Sims' coach at the time, knew he had a future star on his hands and was understandably puzzled by the lack of college offers.

"He's sitting in my office and we're looking across the desk, and I said, 'Charles, offers are going to come,' " said Magee, who now is the coach at North Crowley near Fort Worth. " 'Things are going to happen. But the most important thing is that you continue to work hard, we have a great summer and we get ready for the season.'

"He looked across the table and said, 'Coach, really I want to stay close to home. Nobody else has shown a lot of interest, and I'd like to just stay here so my parents can see me play and UH has offered me. I want to go to UH.' "

More Information

East Carolina at UH

When/where: 6 p.m.; Robertson Stadium.

TV/radio: CBSSN; 790 AM.

Records: Houston 5-0, 1-0 C-USA; East Carolina 1-3, 1-0.

Line: Houston by 11 1/2.

Last meeting: East Carolina won 38-32 in the C-USA title game in 2009 at Greenville, N.C.

Story line: The Cougars are off to their first 5-0 start since 1990; the Pirates have struggled with a tough schedule that includes Top 25 teams South Carolina and Virginia Tech along with North Carolina, which was ranked early in the season.

By the numbers: UH quarterback Case Keenum needs 440 yards of offense to pass Hawaii's Timmy Chang (16,910) as the NCAA's all-time total offense yardage leader. ... The Cougars lead the nation in total offense (610 yards per game) and passing offense (451.2).

Sims pulled the trigger, committed to the Cougars and the rest, as they say, is history.

Other offers came. As Sims embarked on an unforgettable senior season, leading Westbury to a district title with more than 3,000 all-purpose yards, Texas Tech, Boise State, TCU and Nebraska showed interest in Sims.

"I wasn't going to go anywhere else," he said. "My family could come see me, I'd be close to my mom, everyone could come see me play."

UH (5-0, 1-0 Conference USA) is reaping the benefits of Sims' loyalty. The 6-0, 205-pound sophomore is part of a trio of talented running backs in the Cougars backfield, along with seniors Bryce Beall and Michael Hayes.

And even with the plethora of talent that exists on the UH offense, which is ranked No. 1 in the nation in total offense heading into Saturday's 6 p.m. game with East Carolina (1-3, 1-0) at Robertson Stadium, Sims might just be the most gifted athlete of the bunch.

Ready to break out

He displayed his variety of skills in the Cougars' 49-42 shootout victory over UTEP at El Paso last week. Sims ran for 111 yards and two touchdowns and took a screen pass from quarterback Case Keenum 84 yards for a third score, which proved to be the game-winner.

"You just knew that his breakout game was going to come," running backs coach Clarence McKinney said. "You just didn't know when."

After totaling 1,457 combined rushing and receiving yards and 10 touchdowns as a freshman, Sims was sidelined by a retroactive NCAA clearinghouse decision on his eligibility coming into college and was ruled ineligible for the 2010 season. It was a crushing blow to him because he couldn't participate in any team activities during the time period, but he worked hard to fulfill every requirement the NCAA made and get through it.

"You can take it in a positive way or you can take it in a negative way," Sims said. "I just stayed focused through the whole situation, and here I am today."

Sims is a young man of few words. His quiet demeanor caught UH coach Kevin Sumlin off-guard when he and Mc- Kinney made a visit to Sims while they were recruiting him. McKinney said that in two hours, Sims said two words to Sumlin.

"As soon as we walked out of the door, coach Sumlin said, 'I don't think we're going to get that kid, because he didn't say anything to me,' " McKinney said. "I let him know that's just the kid's personality."

Quiet intensity pays off

His quiet demeanor belies the intense competitor that exists inside. He works hard because he knows no other way - a trait instilled in him by his parents.

"He's Keyshawn Johnson without the 'give me the damn ball,' " Magee said. "He's a ferocious competitor. He loves the spotlight in that he loves to have an opportunity to perform.

"If you tell him it's not his time, he's going to wait his turn. But when you give him his turn, everybody else in line better wait because he's going to do something that nobody else is capable of doing."